Horse, livestock and farm trailers in Chester, NJ get fixed on the property with mobile trailer repair from Keep Them Rolling Trailer Repair. Brad Smith, the owner, drives to farms, horse properties and homes in Chester Borough and Chester Township and repairs floors, brakes, bearings, suspension and lights on site, so a stock trailer never has to be dragged to a shop. Brad takes calls at (973) 651-1045.
One name, two towns
Chester Borough is the compact center where Route 206 crosses Route 24, with shops along Main Street and homes on the side streets around it. Chester Township wraps around the borough and feels nothing like it: farms, orchards, pick-your-own fields, horse properties and wooded lots spread over rolling ground.
The trailers follow the land. Out in the township you find horse trailers, stock trailers, flatbeds for hay, and equipment trailers for shuttling a tractor or a big mower from one field to the next. In the borough it is mostly utility trailers and the rigs landscapers and contractors park at home overnight. Brad works on all of them.
Why a trailer that barely moves still wears out
A lot of Chester trailers are used a few times a season and parked the rest of the year. They fail from sitting, not from miles:
- Bearing grease. A hub that never turns lets its grease slump and separate, and day-to-night temperature swings leave condensation inside. The first long trip of the year runs on grease that has lost much of its protection.
- Tires. Sun and ozone crack the sidewalls long before the tread wears out. Read the four-digit date code on each tire; many tire makers advise replacing trailer tires after several years no matter how much tread is left.
- Brakes. Magnets and drum faces rust while the trailer sits, so the first few stops can grab, pull or feel weak. If that does not clear up quickly, the brakes need attention. Worn magnets, glazed shoes and scored drums are all part of trailer brake repair.
- Wiring. Mice and chipmunks nest in barns and sheds and chew insulation, especially inside junction boxes and along the frame rails.
- Floors. Horse and stock trailer floors take moisture from manure and wash water and hide the damage under mats. Trailer floor repair and replacement covers both wood and aluminum floors.
Fitting trailer work around the farm calendar
The best time for a full going-over is spring, before show season, trail rides and hay hauling start. A seasonal trailer inspection done on your property usually covers jacking each wheel to check for play and noise, pulling a drum if the brakes are suspect, testing the breakaway switch by pulling the pin, checking every light with your truck hooked up, looking over the coupler latch and chain hooks, and going over the floor with the mats up.
Heavy seasons wear the suspension too. A stock trailer that hauled full loads all summer, or an equipment trailer that carried a tractor across rutted fields, can come back with worn shackles, cracked hangers or a sagging spring. If the trailer sits lower on one side or the tires wear unevenly, trailer suspension repair is the next stop. Brad works the rest of Morris County too, from Long Valley to Randolph.
Common questions
Can you reach a trailer parked down a gravel farm lane in Chester Township?
Usually, yes. The mobile trailer repair truck handles gravel and dirt lanes in normal weather, though mud season or deep snow can mean pulling the trailer up closer to firm ground first. Brad needs solid footing under the jack, so on soft ground a board or pad goes underneath it. When you book, mention gates, low branches or tight turns on the way back to the barn so he knows what to expect.
How often should the floor of a horse trailer be checked?
At least once a year with the mats pulled out, and more often if the trailer hauls regularly or gets washed out and parked while still wet. Let the floor dry, then press on any dark or stained boards with a screwdriver. Soft wood, or white, powdery corrosion on an aluminum floor, means the floor needs repair before another horse stands on it.
What should I do before putting a farm trailer away for the winter?
Wash off manure, mud and road salt, then have the bearings greased so fresh grease sits in the hubs all winter. Park on gravel, pavement or boards rather than bare dirt, block the tongue up, and cover the coupler. Charge the breakaway battery and check it again in spring. Set out rodent deterrents in the barn, and request a service visit for anything you noticed during the season but never got to.